Vintage 1972
A poor vintage, 1972 was a bad year for wine in Bordeaux due to late flowering, a cold and rainy summer (hail in August on Saint Emilion!). On the other hand, in red Burgundy, the most concentrated wines yielded good results and certain areas near Beaune (Beaune, Nuits st Georges) can be appealing. The best Rhône Valley wines are found in Cornas and Hermitage. In the Loire and Alsace, 1972 was a poor year, and in Champagne, difficulties with grape ripening contributed to delaying the harvest, but the first October frosts caused significant damage in terms of both quantity and quality.